Several known user monitoring systems have an immediate response feature. In one prior art system if a user falls down and is unable to get up the user may push a button on a small radio frequency transmitter. This radio frequency transmitter may be worn by the user. For example, it may be worn on a necklace or on a key chain for convenience and to assure that it is available when it is needed. Pushing the button activates a device at the residence of the user which places a telephone call to a user remote monitoring site. Personnel at the remote monitoring site may listen and talk through a paging telephone in order to communicate with the user. Additionally, personnel at the user monitoring site may dispatch an ambulance or other assistance for the user.
There is a large number of devices designed to enhance medication compliance and to monitor the extent of non-compliance. Devices available in the prior art include timers, medicament containers and combinations of timers and containers. Also available in the prior art are multiple compartment timed containers which only open at timed intervals and beep until the compartment is opened and closed. Devices available to researchers include specialized containers and bottle caps which record the date and time of opening of the container. This information is provided in a machine transferable form which may be applied to a computer for analysis of scheduling and dosing compliance.
In addition, a variety of specialized dispensers using stripped, bubble wrapped medicaments is available. These dispensers are available from pharmacists and are adapted to provide the correct pills at scheduled times and use a less expensive method for loading doses than other prior art self-loading timed dispensers. One prior art system in particular uses a host computer system to control a dispensing schedule in addition to a local timer-memory system. Another system uses color coded indicia to aid in identification of medication by users.
Various home health monitoring systems are also known in the prior art. These systems fall into a broad category of devices which offer in-home electronic monitoring of health conditions ranging from fetal heart beat to blood pressure and blood sugar. Some of these health monitoring systems transmit a log to a central unit if a monitored parameter is outside a predetermined range. Other systems monitor predetermined health related parameters in the environment of the user.
The present invention comprises a user monitoring system for monitoring and intervening in selected activities of daily living for users requiring differing levels of monitoring or supervision. The user monitoring system monitors and provides interventions relating to four principal event domains. These event domains are (1) movement around the home, (2) medication compliance by the user, (3) problems with usage of stoves or other potentially dangerous appliances, and (4) selected auxiliary appliance control. Each of these event domains corresponds to a detection subsystem of the user monitoring system. Each detection subsystem is linked to the user monitoring system by means of radio frequency signals transmitted from subsystem sensors and received by a system controller device within the user monitoring system. In addition to using information obtained by monitoring the selected activities of daily living to make decisions locally, the user monitoring system produces, stores and transfers data concerning all monitored event domains and intervention activity to a remote case management system for further analysis and intervention. The remote case management monitoring system may use a knowledge base and an inference generator in order to make decisions regarding various types and degrees of intervention. The user monitoring system may provide reminders for the user to take their medications. Local and remote reprogramming of event parameters determining interventions and data recording are provided. The user monitoring system may execute controlled shutdown of the stove and other appliances as well as call the remote monitoring site in the event of possible emergencies. Data for monthly case monitoring reports which may include event logs of problem occurrences may be provided to permit cross-sectional and long-term trend analysis of difficulties. These may serve as a basis for case management decisions determining additional contacts and interventions.